


Worst of fortune's might

by Katarik



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics), Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assassins & Hitmen, Consensual But Not Safe Or Sane, Gen, POV Female Character, Present Tense, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, nobody in this story is safe or sane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24065242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katarik/pseuds/Katarik
Summary: Adeline is used to the way Slade loves. Originally written 7/3/2007.
Kudos: 16





	Worst of fortune's might

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [When nobody else is looking](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8911876) by [Petra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petra/pseuds/Petra). 



> Title from [Sonnet X](https://www.bartleby.com/101/154.html).

It isn't often that Searchers Inc. consents to work with Deathstroke, especially with the rumors going around about his current partner. Tiercel is good, picky about who he'll kill, and ruthless. The rare footage she has of him makes her remember the sharp-eyed soldier she trained and married far more than she wants to.

But this job pays well enough that she would consider working with almost anyone for it, and there's nobody better than Deathstroke, including herself.

She makes Joe stay at the manor and practice with his powers. She can trust herself to remain professional around Slade. Joe... isn't a soldier. She doesn't want him to be.

She can only trust him to be her son, and sometimes that's not enough.

Sometimes...

She'd known Tiercel was younger than Slade. Most people in the business are. She hadn't expected a teenager.

If he is older than Joey she will shoot out *her* eye.

His armor is efficient, and surprisingly good for camouflage. Someone besides Slade taught the boy the importance of being able to hide, and the second she sees his face she knows who. It had been all over the news, Batman's death and Richard Grayson's disappearance.

Slade always was ambitious, but making Robin into a soldier like this... she has never been able to deny to herself that Slade does beautiful work. This is only one more time.

The things *she* could have done with this boy...

It's one more thing she won't forgive Slade for, that he'd gotten there first.

Talking to him is too familiar, even if he keeps himself under control. She can't stop her gaze from flicking from his eye to the one she'd taken. The reminder angers her again, as it always does.

They work as well together now as they ever have, and Tiercel's confusion, watching them, is palpable. She stifles the urge to tell Slade to train that openness out of him; it will be useful in the future if neither Deathstroke nor his -- partner -- can hide from her.

He looks too young for Slade's tastes, but the bruises on his wrists are huge and familiar. Adeline watches at the way Slade smiles at him and wonders if she was ever that young, and when this child will realize that Slade is in love with him -- whether she should tell him so -- and when Slade will betray him, too.


End file.
